With a weak social protection system and high social inequalities, Lithuania has been recommended, by both the European Commissions and the OECD, to work towards boosting the living standards. Moreover, the capacity of social partners to play their role in the functioning of the labour market is... Find out more

In recent years, there have been several disputes where the recognition of unions was at stake. Unions clashed over the recognition by the employer and could lose their right to represent workers. Find out more

During a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, on Friday 28 April 2017, an agreement was concluded on improving the statutory minimum wage. The agreement was signed by the government, the leader of the opposition and the social partners. Find out more

The Maltese government has announced the introduction of initiatives to encourage employers and workers to invest in voluntary private pensions. This could be a step towards the setting up of a second pillar pension, a long-standing demand of some of the unions. However, other unions stay in favour... Find out more

A long awaited voluntary occupational pension scheme was launched in the autumn of 2017. So far, there is no evidence of the functioning of the scheme that is mainly based on tax incentives. The government in office, which won the election in June 2017, promised to repair the stagnating pensions. Find out more

In a letter to the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), trade union GWU said this is an opportune moment to discuss a proposal on compulsory union membership. The Council has tabled the item, and although the proposal has received positive feedback from the country’s Prime... Find out more

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled in favour of four childcare workers sacked in a pre-packed bankruptcy deal. The four workers lost their jobs when childcare group Estro went bust in 2014 and restarted directly after as Smallsteps. The case was brought to a Dutch court by the... Find out more

Trade union FNV started a campaign to put an end to the increase of the state pension age. Since the early 2000s, respective governments have limited the possibilities for early retirement and prolonged the age for pensioners. According to the FNV, the effect has been that the distribution of... Find out more

In the last decade or so, respective Dutch governments have constantly revised the statutory pension age. The system that is applied at the moment leads to an automatic rise as soon as life expectancy increases. Trade unions, backed by occupational doctors, have criticised this one-track method. The... Find out more

The Dutch government has come up with draft amendments to labour legislation that aims to reduce the legal gap between working as a permanent worker and as a temporary worker. To this end, the rules for making workers redundant will be eased while the period temporary staff can work on short... Find out more